Amateur video posted to a social media website on Wednesday appears to show Syrian rebels firing on a helicopter as it circles near the northern city of Aleppo.

It is unclear whether the heavy machine gun fire hit the aircraft.

The footage also shows smoke billowing from buildings in the same town.

The narrator can be heard saying in Arabic that rebels had attacked a military post.

Reuters can't independently verify these videos, largely due to Syrian restrictions on independent media.

Meanwhile in Damascus, U.N. mission leader General Robert Mood vowed to continuing working towards peace in Syria, despite the suspension of his monitoring mission over

two weeks ago.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) GENERAL ROBERT MOOD, HEAD OF UN MONITORING MISSION IN SYRIA, SAYING:

"We cannot and we will not turn our eyes and ears away from your plight, and we'll continue our work to find new paths to political dialogue and peaceful resolution to the crisis."

Opposition leaders and some Western governments say over 15,000 people have been killed in Syria since the uprising began 16 months ago.

But the Syrian government claims what it calls "terrorist" gangs have killed several thousand troops and police.

Travis Brecher, Reuters